Child development

  • teenagers sitting, drinking beer from glass bottle and holding cigarette

    Neuroanatomical Variability and Early Substance Use Initiation: Insights from the ABCD Study

    Adolescence is a period of rapid brain development, making it a sensitive window for experiences that may shape long-term outcomes. A new study from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project examined whether neuroanatomical variability is linked to early initiation of alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis. Drawing on baseline brain images taken before substance use began, the researchers found regionally specific differences in cortical thickness and surface area among early initiators. The findings highlight the complexity of adolescent neurodevelopment and point to the value of large-scale, longitudinal studies in clarifying how brain structure and behaviour unfold together.

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  • Portrait of son hugging his father, together at home. Son caring for his father, putting hand on his shoulder, comforting and consoling him. Family love, bonding, care and confidence

    Social Fears in Children: The Roles of Parental Communication and Child Temperament

    A recent longitudinal study by Zeytinoglu and colleagues (2025) provides insights into how parental verbal communication and child characteristics contribute to the transmission of social fears. The study shows the impact of both positive and negative maternal statements about ambiguous social situations, finding that positive comments were linked to reductions in children’s social fear beliefs, while negative comments predicted increases, especially among children who were behaviourally inhibited or had high anxiety.

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  • early bird

    Autumn Webinar programme

    Don’t miss the early birds! All events are centred around evidence-based research, and our speakers are some of the leading lights in the field. ACAMH is a charity, and we receive no government funding, nor do we ask for donations.

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  • Neurodiversity: Cutting-Edge Research, Evolving Perspectives, and Effective Innovations – 2025 Jack Tizard Memorial International Conference

    BOOKINGS CLOSED

    Event type
    Jack Tizard Memorial International Conference
    Location
    LIVE STREAM
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  • Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke – Editor in Chief

    Editor in Chief, Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke is Professor of Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience working in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King’s College London.

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  • Sara Jaffee

    JCPP Annual Research Review 2024 – “Time may change me”: Developmental change across multiple time scales

    We are delighted to announce the release of the 2024 Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry (JCPP) Annual Research Review, edited by Sara R. Jaffee.

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  • Top 10 Downloaded Journal Papers

    2023 Top 10 Downloaded Journal Papers

    After another successful year for our three journals, the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry (JCPP), the Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) journal, and JCPP Advances, we are proud to present the top 10 most downloaded papers for each journal, published in 2023, as of 27 November 2023.

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  • AnaCristina Bedoya

    Don’t blame the children: Supporting families with young children

    Most research on the relationships between children and their parents focuses on the effects parents and their parenting have on children and their behaviour. However, researchers are more and more recognising and studying the impact that children’s behaviour can have on the wellbeing of their parents, in turn further affecting children’s development. AnaCristina Bedoya (pic), Jill Portnoy Donaghy and Dr. Keri Wong.

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  • Cord blood metabolites linked with an ADHD diagnosis in childhood

    Researchers in the USA have analysed whether the levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) detectable in maternal plasma and newborn cord blood are associated with the development of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in childhood.

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  • Professor Paul Ramchandani

    Paul is LEGO Professor of Play in Education, Development and Learning at Cambridge University. He is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Paul’s research focuses on early child development, including the role of play in children’s early development and the prevention of mental health problems. He is the Practitioner Review Editor for the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

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